Filling in the Blanks
by ironsrecuse
Summary: A series of events that make up the lives of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts


**Chapter 1**

It's been six years since Pepper Potts had first started working for Tony Stark. By now, everything has fallen into place. Pepper knows him like the back of her hand, and Tony trusts her like she's the only capable person in the world.

It's all a familiar dynamic to them now. The mindless banter, the inappropriate flirting - it became like second nature.

Rumors of Pepper being anything else other than his PA have been entirely dismissed. She's been so intricately woven into all aspects of his life, it's more surprising when she isn't by his side.

And that was the exact predicament Tony Stark was in right now. Yes, he liked to schmooze, to mingle among the crowds and eventually be the center of it all, but his nights, especially ones spent in his mansion, always started with Pepper.

It didn't really take long. Just a quick greeting. Thanks for coming. of course Mr. Stark. i'll see you in the morning.

That was that. It's a ritual, an assurance that she's got his back till the whole night boils down to the quiet thrum of remaining guests, and he's safely (and quite happily) in his bed sharing it with a girl or two.

But as Tony himself is quite annoyingly aware of, Pepper Potts isn't by his side. He swirls the scotch in its glass and takes another quick gulp. Approaching the bar for a refill, he spotted a familiar face, or the back of one rather.

"Rhodes, you seen Pepper?"

Rhodey, leaning on his side against the bar, gives an irritated sigh. He turns away from the girl he's been talking to for most of the night and responds to Tony. "No, Tony. I haven't seen your girlfriend."

Tony snorted, and said, "Very funny. I'm serious. She said she'd come."

"Maybe she's just running late. It happens sometimes."

"Not to Pepper, it doesn't. You know, what? To hell with it; it's almost midnight, anyway. I'm gonna get the ball rolli-"

Rhodey's eyes drifted to just behind Tony's shoulder, and a surprised raise of his eyebrows signaled a quite shocking view.

"Don't start measuring your dick now, Tony, but look behind you."

Tony stretched his neck back, not seeming to understand why. "What am I supposed to be looking at. It's my living room. There's nothing new about-"

And then he saw it. True as Rhodey said, Pepper Potts was late, and fashionably so. She wore a shimmering sheath of sequins that dropped more than a few inches above her knee. The dress rose high up her neck, but was secured by nothing but a ribbon knot resting against her nape. Her hair was in a delicate updo, with little tendrils framing her face. It showed off her shoulders and back perfectly, and there's no better word to describe her other than angelic.

"Well, shit."

"Indeed," Rhodey says as he takes a sip of his own drink. "Alright, there she is Tony. Go suppress that little crush on her you've got for another night."

Tony chose to ignore that comment, not entirely sure what to make of it anyway. It's true Pepper's meant more to him through the years, but he's not gonna ruin that by slapping a label on it. Monogamy isn't an option, so there really is no other way to think of Pepper other than... Pepper.

Except tonight, Tony can't help, but wonder. "Any idea why she'd be all dressed up like that?"

He'd never admit it, maybe not till another 15 years after, but that night he'd hoped. Maybe, in the back of his mind, just maybe she had done it for him.

"Oh I don't know, Tony. Probably because she's attending a goddamn New Year's Eve party?"

"She's been to these things before. And she'd never wear something like...," Tony's eyes drifted downward to her legs, and he can't stop the way his eyes darkened because of the thoughts running through his head at the very moment. Tony licked his lips, and cleared his throat. "...like. Like that in my house."

Just then, a man approached Pepper, greeting her charmingly, and offering her a drink. He kissed her cheek, just an innocent little peck, and slid his hands around her waist.

"There's your answer, Tones. Ms. Potts got a date."

To say Rhodey was amused was an understatement. He's known the billionaire far longer than anyone else in the man's life. Rhodey knew exactly what was going through Tony's head, even if he didn't actually understand it himself. "Alright, you found her. Bye, Tony."

"Hold up, uniform boy," Tony says as he grapples at Rhodey's shirt.

"Hey! This is-"

"Shut up. Do you know who that guy is?"

Annoyed himself, Rhodey decided to push at Tony' buttons.  
"Yeah, that's the guy who'll be giving Pep her New Year's Eve kiss tonight. Now if you please, I'd like to score myself one as well."

"I'm going over there."

"And there's a bad idea."

"Your shirt was a bad idea. It's probably why your date flaked out on you the first chance she got."

Rhodey, taken a back, stole a glance behind him. What's left of the drink he'd bought the pretty brunette sat on the bar counter, the ice already melted. Rhodey heaved an irritated sigh, and made a move to catch Tony before he does something stupid. And just as he turned back around, he realized he was too late. There was James Rhodes, paralleled by two empty glasses of alcohol, no date, and a very entertaining scene about to unfold right in front of him.

As Tony sauntered over to where Pepper was chatting up her date, he took in the situation in front of him.

_'He's got a hand on her waist, but doesn't seem to be too close in her personal space, so that must mean that they haven't gone on a lot of dates yet. Hell, this could be the first. She's smiling, laughing at him even. Seems genuine enough, but it's nothing like how I can make her laugh. Let's see; the guy has a got a good tux on. The hair's perfectly styled, and... damn it. He's taller than me.'_

Tony was a mere feet away before Pepper took notice of his approaching presence.

Arriving rather smugly, Tony had a line ready at the tip of his tongue, yet this time Pepper beat him to it.

"Mr. Stark," she greeted, "I apologize for being late this evening."'

"It's no problem, Pep. I see you were engaged in pre-party festivities," he stole a glance at the hand stroking at Pepper's waist, "Completely understandable."

Pepper blushed pink at Tony's implications, and if he chose to deliberately ignore the faint attempt of an introduction and handshake from Pepper's date, well, we'll never know. The party was quite loud, in his defense.

Pepper drew a breath, and forced out a smile. "Mr. Stark, this is David. He works in marketing."

Tony finally shifted his eyes away from Pepper, and regarded the man close enough to press against her side.

"Ah, no wonder. Seems like he really sold himself well to you, Ms. Potts."

Pepper's nostrils flared, but all Tony could look at was the way David's hand only seemed to grasp tighter around her waist. Tony didn't see the way her eyes glared daggers. He didn't see how the subtle pink, bled crimson against her infuriated skin. He saw none of it - the telltale warning signs that meant to say, _'Back off, Tony. You're being an asshole.'_

Ever the professional, Pepper settled to saying instead, "This conversation is over. I'll see you in the morn-. I'll see you soon enough, Mr. Stark."

This angered him. She seemed to have no regard to his jabs at her date (accessory more like it), and it only meant to him that she hadn't cared at all.

"Soon enough? You're unsure about the morning after. Got any plans for tonight?"

Employee of the month be damned, this is where David decided to step in. Bigger mistake than Rhodey's shirt.

"Mr. Stark, with all due respect, I don't believe Pepper owes you any explanation as to her **personal** whereabouts this evening."

Tony smirked, in a dangerous almost threatening manner. "Funny, because she is my **personal** assistant."

The air in the room grew tense, and it was only the ignorant DJ at the height of his own alcoholic tirade that broke the silence. "Alright! Ladies and gentle dudes, we are down to the last five minutes of year 2004! Grab a date now, or you'll end up cold for 2005!"

Tony took that as queue to leave. "See you in the morning, Ms. Potts."  
It wasn't a greeting; it wasn't the usual. No, that was an order.

Pepper didn't respond, merely brought back that tight lipped smile. As Tony's form started disappearing, she put her hands on David's chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry, he's drunk, and he doesn't like it when I have plans."

"I understand, Pepper. Is this something I should be worried about," David asks. In that moment the guy was still hopeful. I mean, what can you do? It's Pepper Potts.

"No, not at all."  
Seemed like quite a number of mistakes were made that night.

Tony retreated to the bar. As time approached midnight, that part of the room became less crowded, with everyone starting to hustle up for the countdown. Nobody noticed the billionaire, nursing a drink on his own.

Most, if it not all were already wasted. Others just presumed he'd retire for the night for some celebratory sex.

He sat there, and watched the party, taking small sips every now and then. "A refill, Mr. Stark?"

"Just hand me the bottle. You know how it is."

Clutching the bottle by its neck, Tony whispered the countdown under his breath, keeping his steady gaze on the crowd from a far.

"5, 4, 3, 2," he whispers, knowing exactly what comes after that. For some odd reason, his eyes can't tear away from how that scum from marketing held his PA's cheeks gently, giving her a soft New Year's Eve kiss.

Tony stared, quite blatantly to be frank. His blood wasn't boiling with anger. He didn't feel rather possessive either. It wasn't jealousy or betrayal or disappointment.

In that moment, Tony was very much in lust. Ms. Potts was getting laid tonight. He wishes it were him. He thinks about all those times her heels click down to enter his workshop, all those time she frees her hair from its ties after a long work day, all those times her hand brushes against his when they walk side by side.

What a tease.

Pepper and David pull away from their kiss, and Tony downs the rest of the scotch in his drink. He opens up the bottle in his hands, and by the time he looks up, they were gone.

After one last swig, he gets up from his seat. Scanning the sea of people, he spots a redhead from afar. Her hair was nowhere near close to the shade of Pepper's, and it's definitely not natural. But it'll have to do.

He sauntered over, just as smugly as he did just a few minutes ago. The girl was with her own date as well, probably someone from marketing, he'd thought bitterly, but this was one woman he knew he could steal away with ease.

A line ready at the tip of his tongue, Tony pulled out that devilish smirk, and it was a done deal.

Pepper showed up the following morning. Tony never found out if she did spend the night with David, and Pepper herself never found out either that he spent his night agonizingly biting his tongue, to keep her name off his lips.

Last night's trash was the only one Tony had ever taken out himself. He'd been ashamed.

Any suspicions Pepper had of the night before fell short of the truth. Maybe she'd already left. Maybe he fucked her somewhere else. Maybe he got too drunk to even bother.

She never found out, and was too busy wondering anyway, to notice the strands of red hair, that littered Tony's bed.


End file.
